Published by the International Literacy Association, the teacher is advised to first determine each student's instructional reading level (IRL). Teachers should then create cluster groups for guided reading sessions based on their balance of skills and comprehension but subject to change as the school year progresses. The Strategy Guide has ideas for preparatory research and hands-on practice too. This link also contains additional resources like specific lesson plans for Grades 1-3 and 3-5.

While there may be a student who still requires remedial assistance, this website page starts with the importance of guided reading practice. Not all children, especially ESL students, may be able to read aloud with an adult after school. So their only exposure to correction is the teacher. In addition to matching one's reading level, a book should have the appropriate content, background, and performance pattern. The tips here can aid your best reader and the struggling student!

Scholastic is already the resource for elementary literacy so I found this page with Steps for a Guided Reading Lesson. The focus here is primary classrooms as divided by grade since the assumption is children transition from reading aloud to silent readers, typically by the 3rd Grade with its "Read to Achieve" for Common Core Curriculum. The goal is a self-motivated reader who will enjoy "DEAR" time to Drop Everything And Read.

This is a great description of the guided reading program at an elementary school as explained on its own website. I picked this specifically because this information speaks directly to the parents with the teacher as 3rd-hand subject explaining what he or she does to help students read. Of interest is that guided reading groups of children and their topic books are always changing as some progress faster with literacy skills than others. In my own substitute experience, I know that teachers

This is an excellent question and answer session with an elementary school teacher who discusses the use of guided reading in her first-grade classroom. The link is a 10-minute interview which shows the FAQ, highlights the teacher, and shows her tools and techniques in class. She places great emphasis on "centers" so selected readers complete different activities in the room with other students at the same reading level, including reading aloud with her at least once weekly.

I included this link since as it suggests having a theme for students to enjoy guided reading. Since the teacher's purpose is enabling students to read books of their choice with more difficult text, the reading choice should be one that interests most in their small guided groups. This link for guided and leveled reading focuses on spies for older kids. But teachers can also suggest that their students check with their local public libraries for book titles based on reading readiness.

I chose to include this link in the collection because it highlights the need to incorporate writing with guided reading to connect text. Teachers can click tabs for Levels 1-20, FAQ and Glossary of Terms with meanings. Each tab then contains reading characteristics, sample lesson plans, sample state standards from SC, facilitator notes, and suggested further readings for staff. This is the ultimate resource to use in your reading lessons!

This collection link has teaching Points for Levels A-Z including behaviors to notice and support. There is one slide per reading level, in this case alphabetical letters; but sometimes numbers are an equivalent. For example my substitute job in NC with Wake County Public School System has a guided reading level conversion chart for Grade Level (K-6), WCPSS, DRA, Fountas and Pinnell, Approximate Lexile, and TRC. These slides will help teachers pinpoint progress reading skills among readers.